We're not starting the weekend on a good note.
Croton decided this week to pull the plug on varsity football due to a lack of participants.
The Tigers opened camp in August with a limited number of players and injuries forced the opener against Hen Hud to be called at halftime. Last week's game against Valhalla was forfeited in hopes of buying time but a thin roster forced the district to make an emotional decision.
In order to play, teams need a minimum of 16 players.
Croton has not won a game since 2023 and waved the white flag two games into last season, as well, due to numbers and inexperience. The school's modified program for seventh, eighth and ninth-graders will continue to compete.
The Tigers were scheduled to play Irvington, which is likely
to accept the forfeit rather than fill the open date.
Here are this week's previews and picks. There were only two games that really surprised me last week and I upped my season record to 43-16.
Heat index
Iona Prep 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Somers 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Westlake 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Clarkstown South 🔥🔥🔥
Mamaroneck 🔥🔥🔥
Rye 🔥🔥🔥
Bronxville 🔥🔥🔥
Tuckahoe 🔥🔥🔥
Rye Country Day 🔥🔥
Pearl River 🔥🔥
Scarsdale 🔥
Marquee games
Thursday, Sept. 17
Clarkstown South (2-0) at Harrison (1-0), 7 p.m.
How quickly did Clarkstown South move past a noteworthy win over Rye and dial in for this one? We're going to find out. Harrison isn't built to go pound for pound with the Vikings, but there is enough bulk to push back. And for anyone who likes bruising runners, this game has Landon Van Etten and Emanuel Chibuzor in the South backfield and Jason Crupi in the Huskies backfield. Kaboom! We know there are three strong Class A teams and will find out if Harrison belongs on that list before the weekend.
The pick: Clarkstown South 28, Harrison 20
Friday, Sept. 18
Dobbs Ferry (1-0) vs. Pleasantville (1-1) at Parkway Field, 6:30 p.m.
These old school programs lead the section in grass stains every season. This game should give us perspective on the league race. Dobbs Ferry has the more established offense with Jackson Kearns and Killian O'Connor in leading roles. The defense was suspect against quality teams a year ago. Pleasantville is expected to be an improved team. Of course, the Panthers have to get this offense up and running against quality opponents because the defense isn't going to shut many teams out going forward.
The pick: Dobbs Ferry 28, Pleasantville 27
Somers (2-0) at Mahopac (0-2), 7 p.m.
Mahopac has opened the season with consecutive losses and looks to be in trouble. Or not. The Wolf Pac are likely to be favored in their last five games, so there's no pressure this week. And while Mahopac has dropped six in a row in the series, they have been a constant threat. Somers quarterback Tristan Iglesias remains the primary threat but he's got more help this season and we're just beginning to understand how good the Tuskers can be defensively.
The pick: Somers 28, Mahopac 14
Saturday, Sept. 19
St. Anthony's (0-2) at Stepinac (2-1), 1:30 p.m.
Yes, the Friars are winless, but they've taken on bigger and faster New Jersey opponents in Red Bank Catholic and St. Peter's Prep. Boston College recruit Xavier Bala led the CHSFL in rushing yards a year ago. He picked up 138 yards a week ago and brought a kickoff back 100 yards for a touchdown. Stepinac got improved line play a week ago in the win over Immaculata and has a threat in junior running back Nahum Pierre, who has 458 yards and six TDs in three games. He needs to have another big afternoon to keep this one competitive.
The pick: St. Anthony's 34, Stepinac 21
Tuckahoe (2-0) at Valhalla (2-0), 6 p.m.
Both teams were reluctantly spinning their wheels last week after taking forfeits. Valhalla dropped an eye-popping 56 points on Ardsley in the season opener. Luke Foisset ran wild getting 278 yards and five touchdowns. Tuckahoe has to find a way to control the clock and make the repeat Super 11 pick spend a majority of his playing time on defense. The Tigers have won four of the last five in the series and are built to grind with people movers Luca Del Conte and Kilian Curylo.
The pick: Valhalla 28, Tuckahoe 20
Best of the rest
(Winning pick in bold)
Friday, Sept. 18
Mount Vernon at New Rochelle, 5 p.m.
East Ramapo at Ketcham, 6 p.m.
Sleepy Hollow at Westlake, 6 p.m.
Mount St. Michael at Kennedy Catholic, 6:30 p.m.
John Jay-East Fishkill at Scarsdale, 6:30 p.m.
Tappan Zee at Hen Hud, 6:30 p.m.
Mamaroneck at Arlington, 6:30 p.m.
Briarcliff/Hamilton vs. Pelham at Memorial Field, 6:30 p.m.
Greeley at Port Chester, 6:30 p.m.
North Rockland vs. Suffern at Suffern MS, 6:30 p.m.
Panas at Byram Hills, 6:30 p.m.
Nanuet at Putnam Valley, 6:30 p.m.
Eastchester at Rye, 7 p.m.
Ardsley vs. Edgemont/Blind Brook at Edgemont, 7 p.m.
Yorktown at Brewster, 7 p.m.
John Jay-Cross River at Nyack, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 19
Albertus Magnus at Haldane, 11 a.m.
Fox Lane at Ossining, noon
Clarkstown North at Carmel, 1 p.m.
Rye Country Day at Dalton, 1 p.m.
White Plains vs. Yonkers at Roosevelt, 1:30 p.m.
Pearl River at Hastings, 1:30 p.m.
Iona Prep at St. Joseph by the Sea, 2 p.m.
Woodlands at Rye Neck, 3 p.m.
Lakeland vs. Peekskill at Torpy Field, 6 p.m.
Mike Dougherty covers high school football for The Journal News/lohud.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: High school football | Dougherty's marquee game breakdowns, picks
